Prime Mover with Recovered Energy Induced Source and Sink Temperature

Abstract

A system for using recovered energy to increase the source to sink temperature differential for heating and cooling the working fluid of a prime mover, and in particular to a heat of compression braking source and liquefied or solidified air sink.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prime mover comprising refrigerant cooled sink means and compressed fluid heat source means with wind or moving vehicle drive means, wherein differential temperature between said source means and sink means is the heat of compression temperature due to said source means minus the refrigerant temperature in said sink means. 
     
     
         2 . The compressed fluid heat source means of  claim 1  comprising transfer fluid flow control means, wherein a transfer fluid, compressed by said source means, heats the working fluid continuing from sink compression means of said prime mover to expansion means of said prime mover. 
     
     
         3 . The compressed fluid heat source means of  claim 2  comprising multiple stage compression means with at least one jet compression stage, wherein said jet compression stage increases pressure and temperature of the transfer fluid from a first stage of said heat source means. 
     
     
         4 . The prime mover of  claim 3  comprising supplementary heat source means, wherein a working fluid portion heated by said supplementary heat source means is in flow relation, selected from the group consisting of series and parallel flow, with the remaining working fluid heated by said compressed fluid heat source means. 
     
     
         5 . The prime mover of  claim 4  comprising supplementary heat exchange means and heat storage means, wherein heat due to said compressed fluid heat source means is stored for transfer to working fluid continuing from said sink compression means to said expansion means. 
     
     
         6 . The sink means of  claim 5  comprising refrigerant phase change means, wherein refrigerant is alternately liquefied during absorption of heat of compression of said sink compression means and then solidified by vacuum pressure in said sink means, while sublimed vapor of the refrigerant is discharged to said sink compression means. 
     
     
         7 . The phase change means of  claim 6  comprising direct contact heat transfer enhancing means selected from the group consisting of heat transfer surface treatment means and refrigerant transfer means, wherein heat is transferred from working fluid to solidified refrigerant in said phase change means. 
     
     
         8 . A motor vehicle comprising an axle driven braking compressor and a solidified refrigerant cooled sink compressor of a gas turbine prime mover, wherein source to sink differential temperature of said prime mover equals heat of compression temperature in said braking compressor minus refrigerant temperature in said sink compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The prime mover of  claim 8  comprising a flow controller, a working fluid valve and a transfer fluid valve, wherein a transfer fluid discharged from said braking compressor during deceleration of said vehicle heats compressed working fluid from said sink compressor during acceleration and constant speed operation of said vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The prime mover of  claim 9  comprising a supplementary fuel combustion heat source, wherein source to sink differential temperature of said prime mover is adjusted to control power output of said prime mover. 
     
     
         11 . The prime mover of  claim 10  comprising supplementary heat storage material and a storage heat exchanger, wherein heat from said braking compressor source is stored for transfer to working fluid entering an expansion turbine of said prime mover. 
     
     
         12 . The sink compressor of  claim 11  comprising a refrigerant phase change sink, wherein refrigerant imported to said vehicle is cyclically liquefied during absorption of heat of compression of said sink compressor and suctioned to a solid in a vacuum chamber of said sink. 
     
     
         13 . The phase change sink of  claim 12  comprising a sorbent heat transfer surface, whereby solidified air, formed in a porous matrix of said surface, absorbs heat from working fluid entering said sink compressor. 
     
     
         14 . The phase change sink of  claim 13  comprising a refrigerant flow path, wherein solidified air is transferred into working fluid entering said sink compressor. 
     
     
         15 . The phase change sink of  claim 14  comprising a vacuum pump, wherein refrigerant vapor, sublimed during suction and solidification of refrigerant in said chamber, is discharged to the intake of said sink compressor. 
     
     
         16 . The source and sink of a prime mover of a motor vehicle comprising compression heating means of prime mover working fluid in said source and refrigerant cooling means of prime mover working fluid in said sink, wherein said heating means is driven by recovered energy of said vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The heat source means of  claim 16  comprising transfer fluid flow control means, wherein wind or motor vehicle driven heat of compression of a transfer fluid, compressed by said source means, heats the working fluid entering expansion means of said prime mover. 
     
     
         18 . The prime mover of  claim 17  comprising supplementary working fluid heat source means with fuel combustion means, wherein source to sink differential temperature of said prime mover is adjusted to control power output of said prime mover. 
     
     
         19 . The prime mover of  claim 18  comprising supplementary latent heat storage means, wherein heat due to said source means is stored for transfer to working fluid continuing from said sink compression means to said expansion means. 
     
     
         20 . The sink means of  claim 19  comprising refrigerant phase change means, wherein a portion of stored refrigerant is cyclically liquefied during absorption of heat of compression of said sink compression means, suctioned to a solid, and reliquefied for continued absorption of heat of compression of said sink compression means.